In the After Life
by ChevyImpala
Summary: Maximus, a General, a Man, a Father, and a husband. Maximus, favoured by the Gods, his men and the Caesar who saw him as a son. A man who seemingly has everything will lose everything he would ever hold dear - short story about the last days of Maximus's


**_Hi there, one thing I am aware that Maximus was supposed to have been away from his wife for over 2 years, but I really wanted to add in another little detail. Hope that's ok _**

"Do you love me Maximus?" she said, the slight arch of her brow furrowing as she awaited the answer.

Maximus looked up at the exquisite women, "more then the Gods love Caesar" he chuckled deeply, extending a hand to delicately stroke her exposed belly, which had not yet swelled with life.

"And what of our unborn child?" she whispered.

"Do you really need an answer, my love?" he asked kissing the supple olive skin of her torso.

"Yes, of course Maximus, tell our child of your love for him" she whispered, giggling softly as he lent closer so his lips brushed lightly across her.

"My child, I am your father and I will love you, care for you and do anything that your heart wants of me until the end of time" he said, bringing his arms around the dark exotic women, that was his life.He closed his eyes letting the sweet smell of his wife sting his nostrils and inflame his skin, as she ran her long elegant fingers through his thick mane of brown hair.

"I love you Maximus" the women said as the clutches of sleep were about to take hold of her, "I love you."

_6 YEARS lATER_

"Papa!" the little boy squealed as his father galloped up the rolling hills towards their large open house.

His beautiful wife hardly touched by age, shaded her large oval eyes from the midmorning sun grinning at the large form of her beloved husband, gracefully riding the large ebony beast through the unpredictable paddocks. "Maximus, Maximus!" she cheered running over to her son, who leapt and screamed with sheer joy.

"Papa's home, papa's home, go son go greet your father!" she laughed as her son's tiny feet sent up dust while he cantered down the rocky road, barely hesitating as he maneuvered around the larger more sharper rocks.

Maximus could hardly contain his delight, as his sons face became clearer and more defined. At the age of 6 his son was a bit larger then the other children of the village.

His shoulders were already broadening, showing muscles developing under his baggy shirt, he had long legs that pounded the earth at a break neck pace, and his face was that of an angels.

Like his mother he had large dark oval eyes that were surrounded by a thick mass of black lashes, and he had a large cheeky grin that were accentuated by his large rosy lips but unlike his mother he had the strong nose of his father and the same skill with the blade.

"Son!" he bellowed leaping from his still trotting horse.

"Papa!" the handsome boy hollered flinging his arms around his father's bent neck, who with ease scooped his son, up and over his armored shoulders.

"Father Play horses play horses!" he giggled.

"Horses aye!" Maximus laughed, beginning to trot up the road, to the lithe like women gracefully poised at the top of the hill.

"Maximus, thank the Gods you are safe!" she cried embracing him tightly, slightly wincing as the armor dug into her breasts.

"Why are you home so early, is everything alright?" she said, her brow creasing with worry.

"No, no my love, I begged to be home for just a night to see you and my beautiful son" he reassured her, putting a hand on her exposed shoulder.

"A night!" her face fell, "Oh how can I bare to part with you again after only one night?"

"Hush my love, we will be together soon, and no Roman Army will ever separate us" he eased, raising his hand to cup her quivering chin."Then go Maximus, be with your son as long as the sun holds it sway of the sky" she said looking deeply into his eyes. "I will still be here, when the moon begins it reign over the heavens"

Darkness had just descended when their son's body hit his bed and his mind went to rest.

Maximus sat in the dining hall munching happily on a turkey leg, as his wife entered.

He looked up, smiling with happiness, taking in her voluptuous form he had not witnessed in nearly a year "Come here, my dearest, come sit with me" he grinned, placing the turkey bone on the table.

Smirking she lent on the door frame, arms crossed. "Come" he beckoned.Obeying she glided over to him, her light dress bellowing out from behind her, creating a mass of colourful material. She sank into his outstretched arms, throwing her arms around his neck.

"Oh Maximus, how will I survive with you gone again?" she whimpered, letting a stray tear escape down her cheek.

"Shhhh, my wife, I can give you no ease from this pain, I can only give you a slice of peace for tonight" he whispered, taking her lips delicately into his own.

"Oh Maximus" she moaned, kissing him deeply back, feeling the fire igniting within her, and her heart ache with passion.

He lifted her up, as her cheek rested on his chest and her hands stroked the back of his neck. He walked out of the dining hall and into their spacious bedroom, where he lay the bronzed goddess onto the bed."Maximus!" she cried, as he kissed passionately down her neck and onto her collarbone.She moaned a little bit, biting her lips."Maximus!"

"_Brintus!" "Brintus look at me, LOOK AT ME promise me you'll take care of my family!" _

"_you will see your family again in the After life" the man, once familiar to Maximus replied._

The horses rode up the same hill that Maximus had barely left his foot prints in. Big black animals, the whinnied and moaned as their riders urged them on at a break neck pace.

Maximus's young boy in a whirlwind of excitement rushed from the house. His mother smiling with happiness followed, lifting her skirts up as she ran merrily after the laughing boy.

The horses cantered closer, their hooves pounding like the knock of boat mans oar as it awaited the impending doom that was about to fall. The women looked on expecting to see the familiar face of her husband beaming down on her from one of the horses.

Her son was far a head of her, racing towards the black beasts, who were, to the woman's fear not slowing down. She let a flicker of panic lick her heart as they came closer. To close, it was as if they didn't even notice her son.

She would never know who felt it first, whether it was her or her son but in that moment the air became thick with remorse and pain, so thick that beads of sweat dribbled from her brow.

"Son, My son, get out of the way!" she shrieked as her fate flashed in front of her eyes, it was too late though. The boy's body was drawn like a rag doll beneath the hooves and wheels, his screams of delight instantly cut off.

"No!" she roared, begging her legs not to give way beneath her "No, my baby, my son!" fear engulfed her, as the last of the cavalry passed over her sons limp body. The beauty of his glowing olive skin was now dulled by the dirt and blood that was splattered all over his frail body.

She let herself take all of it in, before pure adrenalin kicked in and she picked her skirts up once more and ran into the confinements of the house; bolting the heavy wooden door that only a few years ago her husband had built with his own hands.

"Oh by the Gods!" she whimpered, rushing from the entrance hall and down into the dewy smelling cellar that housed their rich wines and other sweet spices.

Her body raged with terror as she heard footsteps over head, foot steps of men that she knew her husband had come to love and trust.

"Maximus safe me now" she whispered frantically searching round for an efficient hiding place. "Safe me, please" she found no hiding place, that could cover her body, so with all hope lost she sat down in the furthest corner away from the cellar door.

It seemed like an eternity before the cellar door creaked open and the light something she never thought she would come to hate, flooded in.

"Here's the whore!" a man yelled, though only his feet were visible, soon though two more pairs of feet joined him.

"Ohh, how sweet the generals little Spanish whore!" a slimy looking man cooed, walking stiffly down the stairs, his eyes never leaving her large breasts. Cursing she drew her legs up closer into her body, letting spasms shoot up her back.

Three other men followed the mans lead, all walking down with lustful grins spread across their scar smeared faces.

The first man reached out to touch her face, falling to his knees he leaned in grabbing her wrists.

"No you Bastards no stop!" she spat, wreathing under his putrid touch.

"Come on boys, this ones a spicy mare!" he laughed, leaning and planting a kiss on her mouth. She gagged as his thick tongue wriggled from side to side inside her mouth.

Two other men came down, all with the same lustful grins, arms at the ready to hold her down.

After, they dragged her bruised body out of the cellar, while she still fought with the same passion her husband had been admired for.

"Look at her, it is such a pity we have to kill her, I would've loved to have her as one of my mistresses" the leader laughed.

"No please my baby, my baby!" she howled, lunging foreword, teeth bared.

"Your child is dead, my horses made damn sure of that, little Spanish whore!" He laughed, placing a hand on her bleeding breast.

She winced, closing her eyes ignoring the searing pain that racked through her entire body, falling forward she begged "No, no, my unborn baby, please have mercy, have mercy!"

"Oh!" he chuckled "Oh so he did come to you, oh my little Spanish whore, how am I compared to Maximus, if you have forgotten I can give you another taste!" still chuckling her grabbed the nap of her hair and forced her face into his crotch.

"You Bastard!" she screamed, salvia mixing with salty tears and deep maroon blood.

"Oh big words, my dear, to bad you lips will never utter any words again." He looked at the two soldiers holding her down "burn her, her dead son and her unborn child that is festering in her whorish womb!" he ordered, giving one last look at the broken Spaniard whimpering on the ground before he left.

"No, please Sirs have mercy, was my husband not a good general?" "Did you not serve him with loyalty, did you not love him as I'm sure he loved you?" she moaned.

"Come let's get her outside" the man holding up her left arm said.

"Yes, Caxcius, go get the boy!" the man on her right said.

"So sorry love, we'll be burning you now, say your prays" the same man laughed, dragging her forward out onto the court yard.

The cackle of fire blazed in her ears, and the smell of thick smoke cut at her nostrils.

"Come, on get her up Lads!"

"Yes, let her see the fire that will ravage her body!"

"It won't be that first thing that ravaged her today!" all men laughed.

They lifted her to her blistered feet, grabbing them and tying them to a wooden stake, they grabbed her wrists and did the same.

"Please" was all she could moan, as they tied her son's mangled corpse beside her on a smaller stake.

"Say your amen's whore!" a man holding a burning torch hissed into her ears as he placed the fire down between her spread legs.

The golden flame licked at her feet first, then at her red ankles. She could never ever imagine that it would ever be this hideously painful. It felt like some one was scrapping the flesh from the soles of her feet. Her only consolation was that her son was already dead and free from this pain.

The soldiers looked on, trying not to hear, her disturbing screams that tore though the fields. They looked on as the fire sliced up her claves and fondled her knees. They looked on as the fire ate away at her dress and then cradle her womb that housed her unborn child. And before she was gone, she screamed his name, screamed his name like a vengeful curse.

"MAXIMUS!"


End file.
